The
origins of Islam in Chile are not very clear. It is known that in
1854 two “Turks” resided in the country, a situation that was repeated
in the censuses of 1865 and 1875. Their country of origin is not
known, just that they were natives of some territory of the immense
Ottoman Empire.

According to the 1885 census, the number of “Turks” had risen
to 29, but there is no precise information on their origin and their
faith, since religion was not included in that census. However,
the census of 1895 registered the presence of 76 “Turks”, 58 of
them Muslims. They lived mainly in the north of Chile in Tarapacá,
Atacama, Valparaiso, and Santiago.

In
the census of 1907, the Muslims had risen to 1,498 people, all of
them foreigners. They were 1,183 men and 315 women, representing
only 0.04 percent of the population. This is the highest percentage
of Muslims in Chile’s history.

In
1920 a new census showed that the number of Muslims had decreased
to 402, with 343 men and 59 women. The greatest numbers were in
Santiago and Antofagasta, with 76 in each province.

In
Santiago, the first Islamic institution of Chile, the Society of
Muslim Union of Chile, was founded on 25 September 1926. Later,
on 16 October 1927, the Society of Mutual Aids and Islamic Charity
was established.

With the 1952 census, the number of Muslims had risen
again to 956. The majority lived in Santiago, with others in the
provinces of Antofagasta, Coquimbo, Valparaíso, O’Higgins,
Concepción, Malleco, Cautín and Valdivia, without
much organization among them.

Their
numbers decreased again, so that by 1960 there were only 522, with
the majority of 209 living in Santiago. A decade later, the number
of Muslims had increased to 1,431. However, the census did not indicate
whether they were men or women, nationals or foreigners. Nevertheless,
they were spread throughout the country.

First
Mosque Built

Al-Salam
Mosque in Santiago, Chile

Through
the 1970s and ‘80s, there were no religious leaders or centers for
praying. Muslims who maintained the faith met in the residence of
Taufik Rumie’ Dalu, a trader of Syrian origin.

In
1990 the construction of the Al-Salam Mosque began, the first of
the country. In 1995 another mosque was inaugurated in Temuco, and
1998 a new one in Iquique. Sources of the Islamic community indicate
that at the moment, in Chile, there are 3,000 Muslims. Many of those
are Chileans who, as a result of their conversion, have even changed
their names. In spite of the small number of believers, they are
not a homogenous community. The majority are Sunnis, and the rest
are Shiites. Sufi groups have also arisen, but their members are
mainly of non-Arab origin.

“I’ll
never forget that day,” says the imam of Al-Salam Mosque, Sami Elmushtawi.
“The day of the mosque’s inauguration was a day where the dreams
of the Muslim community became true.” The Egyptian imam says further,
“For us this was a unique opportunity, because not every day we
are visited by kings, nor mosques are inaugurated either.” Apart
from the fact that the King of Malaysia inaugurated the mosque on
1 October 1995, the mosque is considered one of the three best ones
of Latin America, after those of Venezuela and Brazil.

The
mosque, built to welcome 500 people, consists of three floors. The
first has reading rooms, multipurpose hall, baths and cafeteria.
The second contains the prayer hall, and the third has the office
of the imam and rooms for guests.

“There
are some people who come to pray during the day, but due to work
the majority come to the mosque in the evening,” indicated Sami
Elmushtawi.

However,
Santiago is not the only place where Muslims can practice their
faith. The Islamic Chilean Corporation of Temuco, founded in October
2001 in the city of Temuco, has the mission of spreading the Islamic
culture and traditions. In addition, today it tries to open more
channels to spread the moral values of Islam, overcoming the prejudices
after 11 September 2001.

Muslim
Women in Chile

In front
of Bilal Mosque Iquique, Chile

Muslim women pray at the mosque and in their houses. Chileans
converted to Islam describe how they live as Muslims in a country
which is dominantly Catholic, and how they are perceived. The attack
of 11 September generated insults and practical jokes against them.

Karima
Alberto, a 35-year-old housewife married to a Syrian merchant, has
two children. She met her husband in his store. “He was the reason
I converted to Islam, he told me marvelous things about Islam so
I began to go to the mosque and learned more about Islam. It was
like self-discovery,” she says.

Karima
says that some people started treating them differently because
of the 11 September attack. Although she is yearning to go to Makkah,
she has already met her husband’s relatives in Damascus. “It was
not difficult to stop eating pork or drink alcohol. It’s God’s will,
and it’s stated in the Qur’an. Although some people think it’s a
big sacrifice, I don’t look at it that way at all. Islam has given
me a new vision.”

Carla
Olivari, an 18-year-old student in a mixed school, says, “Now I
do not feel pressured to drink alcohol at parties or to lose my
virginity.”

At
the age of 16, she used to pass by the mosque until one day she
decided to enter. She left the mosque as a Muslim. “I feel that
Allah chose me.” Her parents, who are Catholic, did not oppose,
but her brother did. “When he sees me praying in my room, he calls
me a lunatic.” However, she not only fasts during Ramadan, but on
other days as well. “Above all, I pray for the victims in Palestine
and Iraq.”

Carla
wants to marry a Muslim. “My husband has to be a Muslim. I want
my children to grow up in a Muslim family that teaches them important
family values. Then I will get veiled permanently, not like now,
when I only use it in the mosque.”

Habiba
Abdullah, 40 years old, is a doctor at Roberto Del Río Hospital.
She emphasizes that she carries the surname of her father, “Because
Islam permits us to conserve our surname and not to be Mrs. Somebody.”

A
member of a family of six brothers, she has a single son who is
18 years old. All her family is Muslim. “I was born a Muslim, and
I’m proud of it. I remember my father taking us every weekend to
the mosque. We would learn the Qur’an, and we would study Arabic.
Although it was difficult when I first wore my veil at work, but
little by little people started accepting me. Now people are not
very surprised to see me with veil.”

Still,
these women are a minority in Chile. “There are always people coming
to the mosque out of curiosity,” states Imam Sami Elmushtawi. “Nevertheless,
it is very satisfactory when I see their faces after leaving the
mosque, or when they return again. Some people come to learn Arabic,
and some come to learn more about Islam. But definitely it gives
me greater joy that the Muslim community is increasing in Chile.”